The loss of tight end Kyle Carter will affect Penn State's depth at the position but the good news is that the Lions have a lot of depth at the position.

Kyle Carter's breakout season at Penn State ended two games too soon.

The redshirt freshman tight end suffered a serious right wrist injury in the Nebraska loss and will miss the 6-4 Nittany Lions' final two games, beginning with Saturday's Big Ten date against Indiana at Nebraska.

This is a big deal. Carter is PSU's second-leading receiver. He's been a revelation in his first year, a gifted pass catcher who has caused defenses matchup issues because of his speed, size and hands.

It could have been worse. The Lions don't really have a player like him at that position. But what the Lions do have is depth at tight end.

He'll be missed. But it says something about the Penn State tight end position that the Lions' offense will be fine the next two weeks.

For three reasons.

Matt Lehman.

Jesse James.

And Garry Gilliam.

Penn State first-year head coach Bill O'Brien loves tight ends, dating back to his days with Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and the New England Patriots last season.

He knows how to use them, too.

And Lehman, the Newport graduate, and James, a true freshman who has four touchdown receptions, will be featured weapons in the PSU passing game with Carter down.

The player that tends to get overlooked is Gilliam, a Milton Hershey graduate who has been a blocking tight end in O'Brien's offense this season. Gilliam's overcome a lot during his Penn State days. He suffered a serious knee injury that forced him to miss most of 2010 and all of 2011.

O'Brien knows what he has in Gilliam.

"He's another guy that's what Penn State is all about,'' O'Brien said Tuesday.

"He's a Pennsylvania guy, good student, he's been through a lot here, both personally and you know, obviously, as a [member of the] team here.

"He's a tough kid, he's an improved player, he plays a significant role for us, as a blocker. He plays a role for us in certain passing schemes that we ask him to run certain routes. He's a great guy to coach and he loves playing for Penn State.''

Carter's season is over. But the Lions will manage for two games. And next year? Look out. All four tight ends return and Cedar Cliff standout Adam Breneman joins the fold.

So many tight ends. Is there enough room? O'Brien will make sure all his best players play. And the tight end spot might be the key position in his offense, other than quarterback.

"After the 2009 season in New England, we felt like we wanted to go in the direction, on offense, of the tight end position,'' O'Brien said, recalling the start of his tight end obsession.

"So we basically, you know, started fresh with new tight ends. In that [2010] draft, we were fortunate enough to draft Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

"I'll never forget the day that they came to New England for their rookie mini-camp. We basically knew right away that we had two uniquely talented guys. We knew that they would be matchup problems for teams.''

O'Brien doesn't have a Gronkowski or Hernandez in State College. But how rare is it to have four quality tight ends who can do damage on the Division I level? (Well, three now.).

"What I've learned there was, because of their size and their speed and their catching ability and their football instincts, they could really be problems for a defense, especially on the inside of coverages,'' O'Brien said of tight ends.

"And then I learned that when you split 'em out wide, they're a little bit of a problem, too, because they're going against corners sometimes that aren't as big as those guys are.

"Then coming here, I just have learned even more. I think that we've got a great group of tight ends here that are smart, tough, that can do both. They can block, they can run routes, they can catch.''

Carter will be back in 2013. And the presence of Lehman, James and Gilliam guarantees Penn State will be fine for two games without him.